Dreary Day and Fourth Quarter Challenge

It’s a dreary day here. It has been raining for two days (which is so unusual for us). The skies are cloudy and gray. The date reminds us of sobering events that took place 12 years ago. And things are just all around blah. I wonder what impact the date September 11 will have, 50 or 100 years from now. We still remember it all so clearly. Will they, in the future? I hope so.

We were going to announce the Fourth Quarter Challenge next week, but we decided to move it up to this week, as we all needed a little more color and cheer today. So if you’re up for this next Challenge, hop in and join us. You have from now until 12/15 to get it done and upload the photo. (We are stopping mid-month in order to get the bonus reward points in your account and updated before the end of the year. But you still have 3 full months to knit.) Here are the details:

The Project: pick a worsted weight or bulky weight project to knit or crochet.

The Yardage: minimum of 250 yards in a single project  (Not a set of something that adds up to 250 yards.)

The Dates: you can start knitting as soon as you have your yarn, but you must be finished with a complete picture uploaded by 12/15.

The First Benefit: we are offering a 20% discount on the yarn for this project. The discount is good between 9/11 and 9/18 on one project’s worth of yarn (worsted weight or bulky weight). Please double check your yardage and order enough in one order, as we’re only able to apply the discount that one time. You will need to leave us an order note telling us which yarn you will be using for the Challenge, so we can apply the discount correctly when your order comes through. If you’re going for free shipping in the U.S., check the math and make sure that when we apply the discount on our end, it won’t take you below the free shipping amount ($75). If you go below that amount, the website will automatically add the shipping charge back in to your order.

The Second Benefit: if you 1) order the yarn for this project from us on 9/11 or later and 2) if you finish and upload a picture of the fully completed project by 12/15, we will add a second set of points to your Loopy account for the yarn used in your project. So if you spend $20 on yarn for the project, you’ll get the first 20 points when your order ships out, and the second 20 points added to your account if the project is finished and photo uploaded in time!

The Photos: when you take a picture of your finished project, we need to see the whole project in the photo in order to approve it. (That’s how we can tell that the whole thing is finished.) This means your project will need to be off the needles, with ends woven in, and any blocking done that you find necessary. It should be ready to wear!

More Info: you can also use stash yarn, as long as it’s a line that we currently carry. You won’t be eligible for a discount or the double rewards points, but you’ll still be eligible for the Reader’s Choice Award, as well as the drawing that we do with all participant photos, for Loopy Gift Certificates.

Need some pattern suggestions? Here are a few patterns to check out: Gaptastic Cowl, Saroyan Shawl, Big Herringbone Cowl, Black Cherry Lambic (scarf or wrap size), Jules Sweater, Archer Hat, Shalom Cardigan, Topiary Wrap, Pine Forest Baby Blanket, February Fitted Pullover, Autumn Blush, Just Enough Ruffles Scarf, Pull Me Over Sweater, Palindrome Scarf, Great Wall Infinity Scarf, Talia Vest, Arroyo Shawl, Wombat Shaltuch Shawl, Through the Woods Hood, or the Heather Hoodie Vest.

Need some yarn suggestions? (Wishing you could just walk down our looong aisle of Worsted/Bulky yarns in person? If you click on the photo to make it bigger, you’ll at least feel like you’re standing there, contemplating all of that yarn.) Worsted: Blue Sky Worsted Hand Dyes, Cascade 220 or 220 Superwash, Dream in Color Classy, Lorna’s Laces Haymarket, Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted, Madelinetosh Vintage, Malabrigo Worsted, Spud and Chloe Sweater, Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd’s Wool, Swan’s Island Worsted, The Fibre Co. Canopy Worsted, Three Irish Girls Glenhaven Cashmerino Worsted, and Universal Cotton Supreme. Bulky: Malabrigo Mecha, Malabrigo Rasta (technically a Super Bulky, but we’ll count it for this challenge), Shalimar Missy Bulky, Spud and Chloe Outer, and The Fibre Co. Tundra,

Remember – leave us an order note, figure yardage carefully, figure cost carefully, get your photo submitted to our Fourth Quarter Challenge Photo Gallery by 12/15, and have fun with this. We’ll look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Sheri whoiscontemplatingsomethingthickandwarmwithatouchofalpaca